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Zei
Warning! The information on this page is somewhat obsolete, and will be changed at a later date. This page is also written in a casual non-passive voice. '''Zei '''is, for lack of a better term, an atom-like particle which exists in the Stargazer universe. A single Zei particle is basically a condensed form of potential energy. If stimulated, it can then convert into any other type of energy, i.e. kinetic, electric, light, heat, etc. It is Zei that makes magic possible. Zei is a fundamental part of the worlds. The only characters in the story who may ever refer to it by name are Mathias and Azrael, as they are learned in theoretical science. In much the same way we rarely consider the individual atoms in our bodies, characters in Stargazer take Zei for granted, or are simply unaware of it's existence. It never plays an overt role in the story, but at the same time, the story could not happen without it. The only truly important thing to understand about Zei, is that its abundance in Aemedra is the only real difference between it an Oedra. Aemedra exists in a cloud of free-floating Zei, which permeates everything in it, causing all manner of effects, including the longevity of the Aengeli, and the extreme ease with which magic works in Aemedra. Compare to Oedra, where there is hardly any Zei at all and magic is extremely difficult to conduct. It is partly inspired by string theory. String theory, as I understand it, states that all matter in the universe is composed of infintesimally tiny vibrating strings. Smaller than any other known particle. These strings vibrate at different frequencies, and each distinct frequency is expressed as a different type of particle. So essentially, the difference between a proton and a neutron is that their strings are vibrating at different frequencies. This idea carries over with Zei. I consider Zei to be somewhat like Dalton's model of the atom, which is a simplified idea of the atom from the time before protons and electrons were discovered. All Zei particles are identical, but they may vibrate at different frequencies, and therefore are expressed as different forms of energy. : ''Note: I might even go so far as to say Zei replaces atoms entirely in the Stargazer universe, as matter is just another form of energy. In which case, it might essentially BE Dalton's atomic model. However the actualy physical implications of this are beyond my understanding, so this is NOT to be considered canon. '' A hugely important aspect of Zei is that all Zei particles are connected. It is this property that causes magic. For a moment, let's pretend we exist in the Stargazer universe, (because it's easier to explain using self-referring pronouns.) Zei exists everywhere, outside of us, and inside of us. The electrical signals in our brains are simply the expression of Zei particles interacting. However, this has an attractive effect on the Zei outside of us as well. They are pushed and pulled, almost as if your mind was generating a magnetic field and the Zei outside of you was being attracted by this field. If you happen to be sensitive to this effect, it is possible to channel the Zei in your mind in a particular way. It's as if you deliberately choose to become negatively charged, thereby repelling all positive charge away from you and causing a wave in the Zei. You can literally move the flow of Zei within you through sheer will, because your thoughts themselves ARE a form of Zei itself. If you had no idea what you were doing, you could possibly cause random effects. The Zei would be shifted and could become a burst of electrical energy, or perhaps entirely kinetic and sending objects flying. But let's say, you could learn to control these Zei waves deliberately. You could learn to channel the flow outwards through your hands instead of in a burst all around you. You could learn to use the flow as a domino effect, extending the range of your mental influence. You could even learn to carefully control the magnitude of the waves you send out, causing a particular effect of your choosing. Eventually, you may even have such a mastery over the flow of Zei within you that you could simply visualize your desired effect and make it happen with minimal concentration. This is the old way of magic. It is an intuitive, instinctual way for those with the natural ability. However, through many years of study, Aengeli have refined magic into what they call the Arts. It works on the same type of principle, there's just more to it. The existence of Zei is common knowledge in Aemedra. Its nature and properties are taught in schools to the best of current understanding, which is not actually much. However, they have identified that the movement of the particle is the cause of magical effects, and have therefore been able to very finely control that flow through non-psychic means. This is accomplished via the use of Spell Channels, which are engravings in Zei sensitive materials which conduct Zei flow autonomously, and can produce simple effects entirely on their own. For example, a sword can be filigreed with such engravings and can create an electric current when contact with flesh is made. A small metal plate can be engraved with a simple spell that causes an orb of pure light to manifest near it. A Zei current could be channeled through it, allowing the light to be turned on and off. Magic has been so refined and made so mundane by the Aengeli that it functions almost as electricity does for us. After all, any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science. (More to come later.) Category:Misc.